“ It’s fantastic, an incredible result! That was our goal and we can be proud of us because it was very difficult. It’s magic! ,” responded the driver after the stop point of the 17th and last special stage, the Power Stage (Wedding Bells, 9.23 km) which brought him three bonus points.
More than the result, this is the way that has still impressed: forced to sweep the track Friday and Saturday as championship leader, Ogier took big risks to stay at the forefront, but no fault, strict accordance with his plan of attack, announced Saturday night: winning the rally where he would become world champion. He took control on Saturday afternoon, after SS12, and has dropped the most.
“ It’s been three times with the way, so I will not complain about ,” added Ogier. “ This weekend, it seemed impossible to win this rally and we managed to get this win. This third way is the most successful because it concludes a perfect season with a perfect car, except a small tear Mechanical, once (in Argentina). It will be difficult to do better than that “.
Finally, on Sunday morning, he made a point of honor to sign the last time best five scratches rally (SS13 to SS17), instead of simply manage earnings to pick this 3rd title . “ block We drove all weekend, so it was not a change of pace for the last nine kilometers, and we had fun last time “.
– Volkswagen as Ogier –
The Australian podium is completed by his Finnish team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala, second to 12 seconds, and the Briton Kris Meeke (Citroën DS3), the third at 32 seconds. A Meeke also very consistent winner in spring rally in Argentina alone have escaped this year to raid the Volkswagen team.
Latvala, two-time winner in 2015 (Portugal and Finland), mounts his fifth podium of the season. “ He missed a little something Friday morning and Saturday morning. Sébastien was better than me “, he admitted. The Finn experienced a last concern, without consequence, however: after SS16, he had to change his alternator belt urgently on the road section.
The third world title obtained thanks to a 31st WRC victory -including September that year brought just over Ogier in the legend. It exceeds, for example, Finland’s Marcus Gronholm and Spaniard Carlos Sainz, with now in sight the goal of catching two Finns four times sacred, Juha Kankkunen and Tommi Mäkinen. It was in the last century, before the domination of Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena, nine times titrated.
even putting two riders on the podium as often since his return to the WRC in 2013, Volkswagen also provides a third consecutive world title. The reward of hard work, as men of Jost Capito, former head of Ford in rallying, have a big budget but, as Ogier, never rest on their laurels and never leave anything to chance.
So, Citroen and Hyundai are struggling to keep pace: on 10 podiums this season 2015 she arch-dominated, VW has won 20 of 30 seats with the added bonus of three triplets (Monte Carlo, Portugal, Germany). And there are three rallies in Corsica, Catalonia and Wales …
The general classemet of Rally Australia:
1. Ogier-Julien Ingrassia Sebastien (FRA / VW Polo-R) 2:59: 16.4
2. Jari-Matti Latvala-Mikka Anttila (FIN / Volkswagen Polo-R) 12.3
3. Kris Meeke Paul Nagle (GBR-IRL / Citroen DS3) 32.6
4. Andreas Mikkelsen-Ola Flône (NOR / VW Polo-R) 38.5
5. John Kennard Hayden Paddon (NZL / Hyundai i20) to 55.1
6. OTT TÄNAK-Raigo Molder (EST / Ford Fiesta RS) 1: 38.0
7. Thierry Neuville-Nicolas Gilsoul (BEL / Hyundai i20) 2: 08.3
8. Sordo-Marc Marti Dani (ESP / Hyundai i20) 2: 15.2
9. Elfyn Evans-Daniel Barritt (GBR / Ford Fiesta RS) 4: 33.7
10. Nasser Al-Attiyah Matthew Baumel (UAE-FRA / Ford Fiesta RRC) 11: 46.5 (1st category WRC2)
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